Richard W. House

Richard W. House, 92, formerly of Norwich, passed away peacefully from complications of Alzheimer’s disease at Woodlake of Tolland Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Monday, October 5, 2020 with his family by his side.

Richard was born in Norwich, Connecticut on November 16, 1927 to the late Allen and Louise (Webster) House. He married his beloved wife Dorothy (Camera) House in Mt. Vernon, NY on April 20, 1952. The two met while Richard was serving in the Army at Fort Slocum located at the western end of Long Island Sound in the city of New Rochelle, NY. He was preceded in death by Dorothy earlier in 2020. They were an inseparable team throughout their marriage of 68 years including being residents at Woodlake of Tolland Nursing Home.

Richard attended Norwich Free Academy class of 1947 and completed a secondary diploma in automotive repair at Norwich Regional Technical School class of 1946. He was drafted into the US Army in 1950 and served two years achieving the rank of Corporal. After an honorable discharge, Richard participated in the Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952 Title III benefits to guarantee a loan to start R&R Engine Rebuilders automotive machine shop in Norwich. Richard worked as a machinist at R&R Engine Rebuilders for over 30 years. When Richard closed R&R Engine Rebuilders, he and Dorothy continued to work at the former Canterbury Gift and Flower Shop across from Backus Hospital in Norwich with Dorothy’s brother Neil Camera.

Richard and Dorothy had a passion for investing in real estate and building custom homes in Connecticut and into retirement in Fort Myers, Florida. With Dorothy being the banker and Richard the brawn. Together they loved going for long drives that had no specific destination, but always looking at land for the next custom home project. Richard enjoyed working with his hands and fixing things that seemed impossible. He approached life and raising a family as a glass half full kind of guy. To keep busy during retirement Richard learned to play golf, attended wood carving and stone sculpture classes at Community Colleges in Florida. We will miss Richards creativity and British humor.

Richard is survived by his brother Gilbert House formerly of Norwich and now residing in Jacksonville, Florida, by his children; Richard W. House Jr and his wife Lee (Raley) House of Wyoming, Rhode Island, Allen House and his wife Alice (Barrett) House of Ellington, Connecticut, grandchild Amber (Silver) Roberts and her husband Branden Roberts of Orlando, Florida, 8 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his sister Doris (House) Butkiewicz of Norwich, daughters; Andrea (House) Silver of Norwich, Barbara (House) Lussier of Norwich.

Due to current pandemic events, a combined celebration of Richard and Dorothy’s life together is planned for next summer. The Labenski Funeral Home on Boswell Avenue is entrusted with cremation and arrangements. The family is planning a private prayer service with interment to follow in the family plot at Saint Joseph Cemetery. You can check back on the Labenski Funeral Home website for final arrangements to be announced in June 2021.

In lieu of flowers, please give donations to your local food banks or shelters, as Richard believed that food brought joy.

To leave a message of condolence for Richards family, please visit his memorial at www.labenskifuneralhome.com.